


Like Father Like Son

by Slurrrp69



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh Adopts Zuko AU, Iroh is Zuko's dad, Memory Loss, The Jasmine Dragon (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko's Scar (Avatar)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25872004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slurrrp69/pseuds/Slurrrp69
Summary: When Zuko loses the Agni Kai, he also loses his memory.Iroh decides to raise him as his own.Only rated Teen for cursing.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 201





	Like Father Like Son

**Author's Note:**

> I had this idea and I needed to get it out of my head so... here

At a tea shop in the midst of the Earth Kingdom lived an old father with his sixteen year old son. The father and son duo owned a wildly successful tea shop, called the Jasmine Dragon, they had opened their shop shortly after their arrival in town three years ago. 

They had arrived with not much more than the clothes on their back. The boy had been much younger, with a festering burn on his face, he had been unconscious and suffered a terrible infection for weeks after. The father, Mushi, had said that they were refugees from a nearby colony. That they were both of mixed blood but his wife had been 100% Earth Kingdom and that's who they swore their allegiance to. He had also mentioned that his wife had died upon their escape. The townspeople, though wary at first of the two newcomers who looked to be very distinctively fire nation, couldn’t help but take them in upon hearing their tragic story. The boy, Lee, had been sick for very long, and when he had finally come back to himself, he couldn’t remember anything. He did not remember his name or his age, he didn’t seem to remember his father or mother or his hometown. Mushi was distraught at first, with no idea how to help his son or even house him. The townspeople came together to support him, helping him build the tea shop as well as their small apartment attached to the shop. The father thanked them profusely and has since been of great economic help to the town as his tea was very highly sought after.

The tea shop had been slow to start as Lee was just coming to terms with losing his memory, and Mushi was taking the time out of his day to reteach Lee many of the things he had forgotten. But once a high ranking General had visited the shop and enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere and hot tea, news had spread fast. Since then, while the number of customers has drastically increased, the shop has stayed solely in the hands of the father and son.

* * *

The Jasmine Dragon was having a regular day, Lee worked in the back washing dishes, as his father was serving the customers at the front of the shop. His father, as usual was conversing with the customers as he served them. He was currently making polite small talk with a female customer who had been served by Lee before he had returned to the back, she had said that she was a traveler, only briefly visiting the town.

“Your son is so lovely, such a kind boy” She said.

“Oh thank you, he is my pride and joy” Mushi smiled.

“Such a handsome boy, and I bet his mother is even prettier” she winked at him in good spirit.

“Ah, well yes, she was a very lovely and beautiful woman” Mushi said solemnly.

“Oh no, I’m sorry” she says regretting bringing up the subject.

“Ah that’s okay, it was a long time ago”.

“Is he your only child?” she asks, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Well I had another many years ago. But the war has been cruel.” he said.

The woman shuts up, no longer willing to talk with the owner about his personal life.

Mushi nods at her, understanding that the conversation is over, and heads to the back, seeing his son washing the dishes.

Mushi pulls his son away from the sink and into a tight hug. As they hug, Mushi fondly remembers the times when his son was still shorter than him. When he could hold his son and feel like he could protect and shield him from every bad thing in the world. Lee had shot up ever since he turned sixteen, and it was a scary reminder of his son growing up, of Mushi not being able to hold him and protect him like he used to. 

“You know how much I love you, right son?” he said.

“Of course dad” Lee answered, hugging his father back.

* * *

Some days later, a couple of earth kingdom soldiers had entered the tea shop, apparently on a short break from work. They complained about their duties as Lee approached them to ask for their order, the soldiers looked him up and down and sneered at him, they ordered three black teas and tol him to make it quick. Once Lee had left the table the group had begun loudly insulting the fire nation and its people, they continued as Lee headed back over to the table to serve them. 

Lee remained silent despite the things these soldiers were saying. It was not the first time that Lee has heard these things, but he never knows how to feel about them. Ever since he was younger, he had had a hard time fitting in with the other towns children due to his background and appearance. The pale skin, the dark hair, and the gold eyes could speak for themselves, it might’ve been subtler if he had the words “Fire Nation” written across his forehead. Not to mention that the scar was...off putting to other kids. Whenever they’d allow him to play with them they’d always make him the bad guy. He’d always have to play the evil melon lord and everyone else got to be the hero. There were many days that he had gone home crying to his father, because of the other kids’ cruelty.

He knows that their anger towards the fire nation is justified. He has seen the things the fire nation has done to innocent bystanders not to mention actual soldiers. Hell, he knows personally of how evil the fire nation is. He can’t remember it but he knows that they took his mother and they blinded him. It just seems so unfair to him that everyone looks at him and thinks he’s the enemy when he is a victim too.

* * *

Lee and his father were closing up shop later that same evening when Lee decided to ask him a question he has been wondering about for a while.

“Dad, why don’t we live in the fire nation?”

“Well son, we’re refugees. The fire nation drove us out of our home, why would we go to them?” he said as he had looked up the doors. Mushi heads to the back to wash the last of the dishes and clean up the kitchen. He feels terrible for lying to his son, but he’s doing this for his own good. To protect him as much as he still can.

“But we are fire nation! Everyone can see it on our faces, they all judge us here for it. As awful as their people are at least in the fire nation we’d be normal, we’d be like everyone else.” Lee responds agitated at his dad’s response

Mushi knew how badly it affected his son to feel ostracized by the town and the town kids. While the older townspeople had been nice when they originally arrived, children were cruel, and their growing tea shop had brought more and more newcomers to the town. Newcomers that were not as kind with Lee as other people were. Mushi knew even before they had left the fire nation how much Lee’s biggest wish was to have more friends his age that he could play with. Friends that weren’t cruel like his sister, that were human unlike his turtle ducks. But he couldn’t let them go back just for his nephew-turned-son to gain some friends. Mushi thinks that perhaps it's time to confess some secrets to his son, if just to make him understand that they cannot live in the fire nation.

“Lee...I haven’t been honest with you about everything. The truth is we are not refugees from a colony, we are from the fire nation.” He admits. Hoping that a little truth will be enough for now. Enough to satisfy Zuko’s curiosity and protect their little lives in this town for a bit longer.

“What? So I was born in the Fire nation?” Lee asks, Mushi nods. “And, and what about mom? Was she really earth kingdom?” he asks.

“No, your mother was full blooded fire nation, as am I, and as are you.” he says.

Lee is agape. This whole time he has cheered himself up by telling himself, at least he wasn’t completely fire nation, at least he had earth kingdom blood, even if you couldn't see it. He had told himself that he wasn’t a monster like the rest of the fire nation and now that was a lie? One of his only comforts growing up and it was a lie?

“So I actually am the monster everyone talks about?! Why did we leave? Why did we have to leave? Did mom really die? How?” he asks frantically needing answers.

“Lee you are not a monster, fire nation people are not naturally monsters. This war is harsh and it brings out the worst in people, but understand that no nation is worse or better than the other.” Mushi explains.

Lee doesn’t know how to respond to that, this entire time he had considered the fire nation the enemy, now he finds out he’s a part of them? Lee shakes his head, he can’t focus on that right now, “Answer my questions dad!”

Mushi sighs, “We were banished from the nation. And yes your mother did die, but she died years prior to our banishment.” He explains thinking of his own lovely wife Aiya. He doesn’t know what happened to Ursa, he doesn’t know where she is, doesn’t know whether she is even alive. But he was Zuko’s father now, and he knew Aiya loved him just as much as if he were her son.

“What about my brother? Was he real? Is he also actually dead?” Lee asks.

“Yes of course your brother was real! We have been honoring him on his death day every year!”

“Just checking...I don’t know what to believe anymore... Why were we banished?”

Mushi looks away from him, “We...disrespected the fire lord. Really it was my fault...I should never have allowed you into that room” He mutters this last part to himself.

“Is that...is that why I’ve got this scar?” he asks him. Lee has always believed his father when he told him about his town being attacked and him getting the scar in the process. Now he doesn’t even know what to believe. If his home town and mother were lies, what else was?

Mushi nods, “Yes, you got that scar in the process of our banishment. I’m sorry son, I should’ve protected you.” He cries.

“Well, how did we disrespect the fire lord? What did we do? How did I get the scar? I want details, dad! And I want answers!” He shouts, emotional.

“No Lee. I think we’ve talked enough for the night. The rest isn’t very important. What matters is we are here now, and we are safe and happy.” Mushi says. He refuses to tell him about the Agni Kai, it could lead to too many things being revealed that shouldn’t be revealed. He didn't want to bring up that traumatic event when even he still had nightmares about it. Who knew what talking about it could do to Zuko’s mind. It was best left forgotten.

“Not important?!? This is my life dad! And it's not fair that just because I can't remember it that you get to lie to my face like this! I want to know what happened!”

“No Lee. We are not talking about this.” Mushi grunts out.

“Why not?! Why do you want to keep me in the dark about this dad?!”

“Lee. Drop it.” Lee saw the anger and frustration in his father's eyes, a look he had never seen before.

“You’re so unfair! I hate you!” Lee screams as he storms out the back door of the tea shop, running into the nearby forest.

“Lee!” he screams after his son but doesn’t follow. His son needs space, to process everything he’s learned, to hopefully trust in his father to hold his best interest at heart when he lies to him.

* * *

Lee had run to the woods in a fit of rage. He felt frustrated yet didn’t know how to release his excess energy. He stands in a small clearing and shouts towards the sky, as he does, fire releases from his fists. Lee looks in shock at his hands. Did he just...firebend?

Lee attempts to process this information when he is suddenly tackled from the side. He is on the floor with one of the earth kingdom soldiers from earlier holding him down, behind the soldier stood his other two companions, both in earthbending stance with their legs bent and one fist out in front of another.

“Dirty fire nation scum” the soldier above him spits onto Lees face, “Shoulda arrested you right when I saw you. Stand up!” the soldier shouts as he pulls Lee up to his feet, holding him by his arms.

Lee finally realizes the extent of danger that he is in here., and starts acting upon the fear that had crawled up his body. “Help! Help! Dad!! Please help me!” He shouts as he begins to struggle against the soldier gripping him.

The other two soldiers react quickly, raising the earth and enclosing him in it so he can’t continue to struggle.

“You dirty fucking firebender.” The soldier that had been holding him says, “Tried to escape did you? Tried to call for help? Well let me tell you something, no one is coming! No one would come for an ugly, scarred,-”

The soldier couldn't finish his sentence as he was caught off guard by Mushi coming out of the woods to firebend at them. The first soldier had been burned and fell to the ground in pain. Mushi and the two remaining soldiers face off. The one soldier attempts to hit him with a rock wave but Mushi dodges and firebends his way. The soldier stumbles backwards in an attempt to protect himself, as he does he trips over a tree vine and falls to the ground hitting his head. Mushi and the last soldier face off, both throwing fire and rocks at each other in an attempt to knock each other out. Lee does his best to dodge as he is still stuck in the ground. Mushi manages to slowly approach the man and physically restrain him. The whole thing had taken less than a minute. 

“Free my son” he commanded in a voice Lee had never heard before.

The soldier's eyes are filled with fear as he complies, lowering the earth and freeing Lee.

“Good,” Mushi says as he hits the soldier over the head, knocking him out.

Mushi and Lee’s eyes meet, Mushi sees how scared his son was. Not only of the soldiers that had captured him, but of his father, whom he had never seen fight somebody before, not to mention firebend.

“Lee, I know that this is probably all very shocking and new, but I don’t have time to explain. We need to be packed up and left by the time these guys wake up,” Mushi attempts to reason with his son.

Lee nods in shock, and together they head back to the tea shop to pack their meager belongings.

* * *

By sunrise, the two were riding in a carriage heading east. With the town that they had spent the last three years building a life in, many miles behind them. Neither Lee nor Mushi had spoken much during their trip. Lee had been shocked by not only the confessions his father had made earlier in the night, but also the later revelation that both him and his father were firebenders.

“Dad, why did you not tell me you could firebend? Why didn’t you tell me that I could firebend?” he asks.

Mushi sighs, “I thought it might be for the best if you didn’t know” he says.

Lee gets mad again, “For the best?! I nearly got killed back there because I didn’t know!!” as he shouts he releases another burst of fire from his fists. He calms himself, staring shocked at his own hands.

“I’m sorry son, when you woke up all those years ago and you couldn’t remember anything, I thought it best to not reteach you firebending. I thought that not knowing would help you fit in better with the other kids, help you gain some friends.” he said.

“Well it didn’t” Lee pouts.

“Yes I know that now. It was foolish of me to think that you would never regain the ability to firebend. I should’ve anticipated that this day would happen and prepared you for it. I’m sorry Lee, that was foolish of me. If you find it in your heart to forgive me, then maybe I could properly teach you about firebending from now on. What do you think?” he asks.

Lee thinks for a moment, letting his father simmer in his regret. “Alright, I forgive you. For everything. Including the lying.” he says, “But you really have to teach me firebending”.

“Of course son”. Mushi smiles, hoping that maybe when he decided to tell his son the whole truth his son wouldn’t despise and leave him for it. Maybe he’d understand. Mushi thinks of a brighter future, of him and his son living together peacefully without secrets weighing him down. It is more than he has wished for for the past three years, and it may be attainable.

**Author's Note:**

> So I have no real plans on continuing this story, I just had the idea and wanted to put it out there, maybe I'll continue it but nothing is set in stone.  
> I guess the natural continuation would be for Zuko to find out everything else about his past, maybe regain his memories, maybe meet azula and ozai again, but I have no clue on how to do that without making this a 10+ chapter story bc I see no natural reason for Zuko to meet Ozai again unless Zuko was fighting against him in the war and that takes a lot of storytelling.  
> Either way I hope you enjoyed this story, leave a comment if u want I'd appreciate the feedback, maybe tell me where you could foresee this story going.


End file.
